Living Bulwark

an Easter reflection in verse by Dave Quintana
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“Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

John’s decree to those who would be the first disciples
the decree of the Spirit of God to us today.

Behold, the pre-existent, eternal Word of God.

Behold, look, gaze upon, search, investigate, recognize, acclaim…

That the one that was with God in the beginning

by whom all things were made
who is the image of the invisible God and is the first-born of all creation
who reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature
who upholds the universe by his word of power.

Behold, this pre-existent, eternal word of God is the Lamb of God,

the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

Behold, the Lamb of God made man for us.

Behold him emptying himself

taking on the form of a servant
being born in the likeness of men.

See him being man like us in all things but sin

sympathizing with our weakness
conquering the temptations of the Devil in the desert and
the temptations of his flesh in the garden.

Behold the Lamb of God, God’s own provision for the sacrifice,

the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world is made man for us.

Behold, the Lamb of God suffering and dying on a cross

suffering and dying that he might take away the sins of the world.

Behold him mocked and scorned, scourged and beaten savagely

the one with no form or comeliness that we should look at him
the man of sorrows, the one acquainted with grief.

See him wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities

led like a lamb to the slaughter
oppressed and afflicted and yet not opening his mouth.

Behold him lifted up upon a cross

hanging on the tree of death
bearing our grief and carrying our sorrows
wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities
canceling the bond which stood against us and nailing it to the cross
lifted up for healing.
As Moses lifted up the bronze serpent that those who gazed on it might be healed from the sting of the scorpion...
so Jesus is lifted up that those who behold him might be healed from the sting of death.

See his blood poured out as a free-will offering to ratify the covenant

the blood of the Passover lamb shed for protection from the angel of death.
Christ, the great High Priest taking his own blood,
not the blood of goats and bulls,
but the blood of God made man for us,
and sprinkling it upon the altar and upon the people,
and thus securing an eternal redemption.

Yes … Christ the Pascal Lamb has been sacrificed.

Christ the Pascal Lamb has suffered and died.

Oh behold, this Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Behold, the Lamb risen and ascended in glory and ready to come again

See God highly exalting him

bestowing on him the name above every name.

See every knee bend.

Hear every tongue confess … Jesus Christ is Lord!

See him sharing his Father’s glory and kingdom

standing as though slain
seated at the right hand of the Majesty on High
dividing a portion with the great and dividing the spoil with the strong.

Yes, behold the servant prospering, being exalted and lifted up.

The will of God has prospered, and will prosper, in his hand.

See the worthy hand of the worthy Lamb, the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world,

reach out and take the scroll and open its seals.
He has been slain and by his blood ransomed men for God, making them a kingdom and priests.
The book of life is open.
The tree of life is open.
There is a way to the Father…
For the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world has opened the way.

Behold the Lamb having been offered up once to bear the sins of many,

will appear a second time to receive those that wait for him.

Yes, the Faithful and True Lamb

mighty Word of God and Lamb of God
King of Kings and Lord of Lords … will come again.

Yes, behold him, risen, ascended and ready to come in glory.

Oh, behold the Lamb of God

the pre-existent and eternal Lamb of God for us
the Lamb of God made man for us
the Lamb of God suffering and dying on a cross for us
the Lamb of God risen, ascended and ready to come in glory for us.

Yes, behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

Dave Quintana is an elder of The Servants of the Word, a missionary brotherhood of men living single for the Lord. He is also a regional coordinator for the Sword of the Spirit in Europe and the Middle East. He is based in London, United Kingdom and is currently leading a mobile mission household team that travels to European communities to provide training, teaching, and retreats for young people involved in Kairos, the Sword of the Spirit outreach to young people.

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